4/22/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Hour decant, the nose on this is exquisite, with rich tones of dark fruit and a touch of cedar and vanilla. The palate is equally lush, with a great balance of acidity and just the right level of grippy tannins to accentuate the blackberry and hint of leather tones. The mouthfeel is silky and the finish is medium, with complexity showing up as it coats the mouth. Great bottle of wine.

4/22/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Three hours of decant time, the nose is fresh with black fruit and oak notes, as is the palate. A little monolithic with it fruit forwardness, this is on the thin side across the palate with a shorter finish but the solid structure keeps it on the enjoyable side.

4/15/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Hour decant, the nose and palate are in sync with cherry, dark raspberry and some floral notes. The palate is in harmony with solid acidity and tannins lining up well. Medium bodied, with a supple mouthfeel and a nice finish.

4/15/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Interesting notes of menthol and cherry along with an herbaceous element, the acidity is high but not over the top and the tannins are well integrated, a welcome experience considering other sagrantino I have tried before can be very grippy.

4/8/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Hour decant and also run through a vinturi, the nose is cherry/raspberry with a strong savory earth element really popping in a wonderful way. Lighter bodied but with great acidic structure and silky tannins, the palate matches the nose in what it offers. Excellent botlte at a great QPR.

4/6/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

No formal note, a simple but enjoyable Gruner for a great price, a solid every day drinker if you enjoy this varietal.

4/2/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

No formal note, a solid if unexciting bottle with good structure and enough dark fruit to make it an easy drinking bordeaux.

4/2/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

The previous note I made on this bottle still applies, an interesting effort with cinsault.

3/26/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Four hour decant, this has that rich nose of an oaked syrah, with dark cherry, chocolate notes and a touch of garrigue. Almost too rich for my palate but the firm tannins and slightly zippy acidity lend it the balance it needs.

3/26/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Hour decant, this is a structured wine, popping with high acidity and tannins that are smooth enough to not distract. Cherry and herbs are the main push palate wise, with a lighter bodied mouthfeel and a medium finish. I am a fan of structure and this delivers.

3/19/2024 - quaffnov wrote:

No formal note, this has quite a funk on the nose when first opened, with a strong sulfur element that begins to fade with time in the glass. The red fruit comes forward as the funkiness fades along with a some bramble notes as well. Solid acidity from a structure standpoint, with a longer finish.

3/19/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

This has lost a few points for me, with the structure fading a fair degree and the palate becoming much more round than it was on my previous tasting. Still good but I think it is nearing the end of its life, if you have in your cellar it is probably time to get it down the hatch.

3/9/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

No formal note

3/5/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

See previous note from three years ago, this has added complexity, in particular on the nose where slight petrol elements have developed.

3/4/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

See previous note, I found the oak demeanor stepped up to the forefront in its presentation which diminishes it slightly for me from my last note.

3/4/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Light in color and body with solid acidity mixed in with the cherry and plum notes along with some herbality. The nose is better than the palate, this works better with food than without.

2/26/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Hour and a half decant, this started out on the muted side but with another hour in the glass it blossomed and opened up considerably, exhibiting a fantastic nose of black fruit, dark cherry and some well integrated tertiary notes that were on the savory side. Fine grained tannins and perfectly balanced acidity made this a solid deal at this price point.

2/26/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Looking at my previous note on this bottle, this time I experienced it more as a southern Rhone style of wine, much more in the Gigondas/Vacqueyras style than anything else. Bright black fruit along with bright acidity made this really pop on the palate in a great way.

2/14/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Good as always, paired with tacos tonight, the acidity works well with the spiciness of the food.

2/13/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Three hour decant, I enjoyed the nose more than the palate here, with a solid delivery of red fruit and oak elements on the nose. The palate was pretty simple and fruit forward with enough structure from its time in oak to keep it palatable. Not sure if aging further is going to improve this in any way.

2/13/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Hour decant, this has an amazing, expressive nose of cherry, blackberry, roses and earthy tones. The palate is quite structured with both tannins and acidity going about a wonderful interplay. Blackberry and licorice along with a tarry taste, this drinks much like a slightly austere nebbiolo. An excellent bottle of wine that is hard to find but well worth the search.

2/5/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

An hour decant brings forth blackberry and chocolatey notes in an even keeled structure, with good aging showing up in tertiary notes. This is medium bodied and has nuance.

2/5/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Three hours in the decanter, this is a decidedly juicy expression of barbera, with a full bodied somewhat tannic structure of dark red fruits and leathery notes.

1/30/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

One hour decant and run through a vinturi, this starts out with a very woodsy/vegetal nose that with time evolves into exhibiting a sweet red fruit lean instead. The palate is red fruit, a light spice that is sweet in nature and some cedar/wood notes that lend great complexity.

1/30/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Multi hour decant, the nose is heavy with dark fruit and toasty elements, as is the palate, which is dense but balanced between fine grained tannins and middle ground acidity.

1/22/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Ran through a vinturi to get some quick air into it, this is a classic presentation of pinotage, with the interesting almost rubbery nose and the palate that is red fruit and solid acidity.

1/22/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Multi hour decant, this has a nose of cherry and plums, with a noticeable but not overly done thread of oak in the palate. Medium acidity and very silky almost imperceptible tannins are present in the smooth, easy drinking mouthfeel.

1/16/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Three hour decant, this has plenty of blackberry/dark fruit power behind it, with still fresh acidity and very integrated tannins. There is an interesting oak/pencil lead element to this that stands out.

1/16/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Hour decant, which is not really necessary, this can be popped and poured. Mid bodied with plenty of red fruit and a solid acidic backbone that leads into a medium finish, this has a somewhat silky mouthfeel to it.

1/12/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Quick decant, this is on the heavy side for a grenache, with oak elements far in the lead over the fruit itself. The nose is the best part of this, with too much barrel for me to enjoy it more.

1/12/2024 - quaffnov wrote:

Unfortunately this bottle was DOA, should have taken back to the place I purchased it a few days before, this has turned over into that over the hill bad port like drinking experience. I am not sure if this was a bottle specific problem or this had aged out, hard to clearly define.

1/2/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

See previous note, this has held steady since this was last tried.

1/2/2024 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

See previous note from 2023, this still has plenty of aging range available to it, lots of structure here to work with.

12/28/2023 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

No formal note, a nicely made fruit forward chardonnay that paired nicely with Cornish game hen.

12/28/2023 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

No formal note, this felt slightly over the hill, with a more austere demeanor than hoped for but still enjoyable. Don't wait on this one any longer, it appears to be fading at this point.

12/28/2023 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

No formal note, enjoyable enough but the nose and palate are a little out of alignment with a funk on the nose that is not present on the tongue, which is a good thing.

12/19/2023 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

No formal note, not as complex as other vacqueyras I have had before but it delivers well nonetheless.

12/19/2023 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

No formal note, great nose of red fruit and the palate has the right kind of structure to deliver a solid mouthfeel.

12/11/2023 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Four hour decant, this is a pretty classic statement of southern Rhone syrah with both the nose and palate expressing red fruit and slight oak demeanor along with a hint of spiciness and forest floor. Medium bodied with good structure.

12/11/2023 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Hour decant, this is a fruit forward mix of darker fruit held up well with a balanced structure of smooth tannins and slightly taut acidity. The mouthfeel is on the silky side and this goes down easily.

12/10/2023 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

No formal note.........

12/5/2023 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

A smooth drinking burgundy with cherry notes in a lighter presentation of pinot. This is ready to drink now, not clear of cellar time will add much to the mix.

12/5/2023 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Interesting to compare how this drank now vs the last time I tried it several years ago, it has clearly improved with time, with the structure becoming more integrated and the fruit standing more in the forefront.

11/27/2023 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

Hour decant, this is a fine example of what this region can produce for a very low QPR when it comes to cab sauv. A nose of blueberry and cedar along with a palate of fine grained tannic structure and the right amount of acidity to complement the dark fruit and light oaked element. Medium bodied with a medium finish, the smooth body of this wine is quite nice.

11/27/2023 - quaffnov Does not like this wine:

This style of merlot is very overdone, with intense dark fruit/plum flavors and a heavily oaked taste profile that is too dense for me. If you enjoy a very strong style merlot this may be up your alley.

11/25/2023 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

No formal note

11/25/2023 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

no formal note

11/25/2023 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

No formal note

11/25/2023 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

No formal note

11/13/2023 - quaffnov Likes this wine:

No formal note, this needs air time, after three hours it had relaxed tannin wise to go down well. This is on the austere side with more structure apparent than fruit.